East Nashville’s
Big Front Lawn

We’re building a vital community gathering space out on Trinity Community Commons’ front lawn - and we need your help!

From June 13-25, we’re raising $10,000 to support projects that will provide fresh food for neighbors, foster community, and turn this space into a neighborhood refuge for all people.

Building Crew Picnic.jpg
kids chalking.jpg
Farmers Market.jpg

We’re creating a community gathering space with and for all neighbors.

Welcoming all people

Trinity Community Commons is a community gathering space that operates out of an historic church building near Trinity Lane and Dickerson Pike. We host events that foster genuine connections and belonging, including with people who are typically on the margins. Together we host weekly community meals, neighborhood markets, clothing swaps, musical performances, yoga, support groups, memorial services, and more.

Our big front lawn can be a refuge for neighbors & pedestrians.

We sit near one of the most dangerous intersections in East Nashville, with limited sidewalks and shade. We reside in 37207, where one in five people live below the poverty line. Together we can expand access to fresh produce, community meals, and meaningful connections with neighbors across class and racial divides.

Help us build the next chapter.

Help us reach our goal of $10,000 to continue building an outdoor community gathering space with and for all our neighbors.

With each new build, we’re creating a safe, welcoming environment for all our neighbors to enjoy:

  • Community meeting space for activating and educating neighbors

  • Gardens & farmers markets to grow and prepare fresh, healthy food

  • Healing space for folks to connect, process, grieve, and grow

  • Dining space for shared meals & connecting with neighbors

Your donation helps us continue building and growing together!

With your help, we’ll build a host of neighbor led and requested community assets:

  • Market Stands for our Thursday afternoon farmers markets

  • An outdoor veggie washing station to prepare our garden harvest for shared meals

  • More shade to give neighbors relief from the heat

  • Little Libraries & a Community Message Board

  • Arched arbor entryways to welcome neighbors in

  • A bike rack

  • More tables & benches (we’re still bringing out more seating for meals!)

  • More trees & perennial flowers, herbs, & fruit to fill out our urban food forest

  • Bird houses & baths

100% of these builds are community dreamed, led, and built together.

How it started + what we’ve built so far

  • May 2023

    Nia Smith & Civic Design lead neighbors in a process to design an outdoor community gathering space

  • November 2023

    Neighbors plant trees with Root Nashville & Cumberland River Compact

  • March 2, 2024

    Neighbors complete our first community build together - picnic tables!

  • March 16

    Neighbors build & fill garden beds

  • April 22

    K&C builds us a fence to welcome neighbors in & keep them separate from car parking & traffic

  • April 23

    Planting veggies and herbs for community meals

  • April 25

    Build trash & compost bays out of recycled pallets from Gardens of Babylon

  • May 9

    Kyle builds a trellis for our veggies

  • Spring & Summer

    Enjoying outdoor meals with neighbors, every Tuesday night!

Help us build common ground for all people at 204 E Trinity Lane.

We couldn’t do any of this without our neighbors!

So many people contribute to make the community at Trinity a welcoming place for all.
Here are the neighbors & friends who joined us in this first phase of rebuilding community together:

Growers

Builders

  • JJ Galipeau of Paper and Pipes

  • Bradley Bruce

  • Lynzie Skjervheim

  • David Brassfield

  • Howard Hale

  • Stephen Watts

  • Tyler Evans

  • Jeremy Vanover

  • Emily Wertheim + Daybreak Arts for trellis wood

  • K&C Fence Co.

  • Helen Wiley

  • Edwin Keeble

  • Gardens of Babylon for pallet towers

Thank you Donors!

  • Adrian Cross

  • Allison Thayer

  • Amy Mascali

  • Autumn Ganis

  • Avery & Will Albritton

  • Bike Fun

  • C.J. Sentell

  • C.M. Underdown-DuBois

  • Carey Rogers

  • Caroline Miller

  • Daniel Goldberg

  • Daniel McDonell

  • David Brassfield

  • Emily Siner & Ben Groner

  • Evelyn Hale

  • Grace Stranch

  • H.G. Stovall

  • Jamie McLaren

  • John Rembold

  • Kristen Newman

  • Kristine LaLonde

  • Kyle Numann

  • Laine Slatton

  • Linda Hochberg

  • Lindsey Sampson

  • Liz & Chris Sze

  • Mary Kate Grant

  • Michael Shumate

  • Nate Paulk

  • Renee Butler

  • Richard Henson

  • Ross Margulies

  • Sarah Carty

  • Sophia Seage

  • Stacia Mills

  • Susanna Sutherland

  • Winnie Forrester

All Stars

  • Susannah Sutherland for being our community garden captain, building & planting garden beds with us, and for sharing the joy of growing with neighbors!

  • Kyle Numann for biking down to build at 100% of our community projects!

  • Nia Smith & Civic Design Center for inspiring & encouraging all this from the start

  • Lara Mossler for performing a permaculture analysis of the Commons + starting our perennial herb garden

  • Kip, Andrea, Eloise, and the whole Rebuilding Together Nashville team!